Stevie Wonder leaves Motown, launches new record label and two new songs

Stevie Wonder has announced the launch of his new record label, So What The Fuss Music, and along with it two new songs – Can’t Put it in the Hands of Fate and Where Is Our Love Song – recorded alongside an array of guest artists.

The label is marketed and distributed under Republic Records and Universal Music Group. In a live-streamed press briefing, Wonder spoke of his departure from Motown Records, the label of which he’s been affiliated with for 60 years, saying: “Even though I have left Motown, I never leave Motown.”

“That’s Detroit. So I’m sure that we can figure out how we can do some things at Motown. Maybe I’ll do my Gospel Inspired by Lula [a gospel album he announced in tribute to his late mother back in 2013] with Motown. We’ll work it out,” he said.

On Wonder’s new music, Can’t Put It In the Hands of Fate features rappers Busta Rhymes, Rapsody, Cordae and Chika, while Where Is Our Love Song features guitarist Gary Clark Jr.

According to Wonder, Can’t Put It in the Hands of Fate was written in response to systemic racism. “Change is right now – we can’t put it in the hands of fate,” Wonder said.

“We cannot ignore and act like the things in this nation didn’t happen. […] We can’t erase them out of the history books. 1619, it happened. The slave trade did happen. Reconstruction did happen. 150 million black people did die. That did happen. The only way I think we can fix it is through our love and respect.”

Meanwhile, the writing of Where Is Our Love Song had started since 1968 (when Wonder was just 18) and according to him, stemmed from “all the confusion, all the hate, the east versus west, left versus right, a heartbreak […] a lot of confusion.” The proceeds from the Where Is Our Love Song will go towards the Feeding America organisation.

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